Combination sponge mop and wringer



Aug. 18, 1970 w. s. FOSTER COMBINATION SPONGE MOP mm WRINGER Filed Nov. 29. 1968 INVENTOR: MAL/m? J. Fosme I United States Patent 3,524,209 COMBINATION SPONGE MOP AND WRINGER William S. Foster, 819 W. 9th St., Columbia, Tenn. 38401 Filed Nov. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 780,032 Int. Cl. A47l 13/14, 13/257 US. Cl. 15119 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combination sponge mop and wringer including a handle bracket, a mop head rotatably mounted on the handle bracket, and a wringer bracket reciprocably mount ed upon the handle bracket and co-operating with the mop head to dispose the mop head in a mopping position when the wringer bracket is moved away from the mop head, and to rotate the mop head to a squeezing position when the wringer bracket is moved toward the mop head.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a sponge mop, and more particularly to a sponge mop including a wringer mechanism.

Although combination sponge mops and wringers are known in the art, nevertheless, such wringer mechanisms are designed to squeeze the sides of the sponge element, or to fold the sponge element upon itself to express the Water from the sponge element.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The combination sponge mop and wringer made in accordance with this invention includes essentially three parts, a handle bracket, a mop head including a sponge element, and a wringer bracket. The mop head is mounted for rotary movement as a unit upon the handle bracket. The wringer bracket is mounted for reciprocable movement relative to the handle bracket toward and away from the mop head, There are co-operating elements between the wringer bracket and the mop head to provide rotary movement of the mop head from a mopping position to a wringing position, as the wringer bracket is moved relative to the mop head and the handle bracket. The handle bracket and the wringer bracket are provided with telescoping, or relatively moveable, handle members for effecting the relative movement between the brackets and the mop head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combination mop and wringer made in accordance with this invention, with portions of the handle members removed, and disclosing the sponge mop element in mopping position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the device disclosed in FIG. 1 with the handle members broken away;

FIG. 3 is a side sectional elevation of the device disclosed in FIG. 2, with the mop element in an intermediate position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the mop element disclosed in wringing or squeezing position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional elevation taken along the line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, sectional elevation taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a modified handle member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in more detail, the

device 10 includes a handle bracket 11, a wringer bracket 12 and a mop head 13.

. The handle bracket 11 is preferably U-shaped, includmg a flat, transverse, bight portion 15, and opposed parallel arm portions 16 and 17 projecting in a remote direction away from the bight portion 15, which forms the proximal end portion of the handle bracket 11. Projecting m a proximal direction from the bight portion 15 is an elongated tubular handle 18.

Adjacent the remote ends of the handle bracket arm portions 16 and 17 are pairs of inwardly projecting opposed guide tangs 20.

Also formed in the proximal end portions of the bracket arm portions 16 and 17 are a pair of opposed elongated journaled slots 21 in transverse alignment, and also disposed transversely of the length of each respective arm portion 16 and 17.

The wringer bracket 12 is also U-shaped. The bight portion of wringer bracket 12 forms an elongated, flat wringer plate 23, and a pair of remotely disposed parallel arm portions 24 and 25. The wringer bracket 12 has the same orientation as, but is slightly smaller than, the U-shaped handle bracket 11, so that the wringer bracket 12 is received or nested within the handle bracket 11. The wringer arm portions 24 and 25 are provided with opposed parallel guide slots 26 to slidably receive the guide tangs 20, and thus, confine the wringer bracket 12 to reciprocable longitudinal movement within the handle bracket 11 and coaxially of the tubular handle 18. Projecting proximally from the wringer plate 23 is an elongated plunger 28 telescopingly received within the tubular handle 18. Thus the plunger 28 and the tubular handle 18 comprise the handle member of the device 10.

An elongated track 29 and 30, disclosed in the form of a slot, is formed through each wringer arm portion 24 and 25, respectively. An intermediate portion 31 and 32 of each track 29 and 30 is curved in a semi-circular configuration so that both curved portions 31 and 32, as well as the remaining straight portions of the tracks 29 and 30, are in complete transverse alignment. Fixed to the inner faces and projecting inwardly from the wringer arm portions 24 and 25 are a pair of opposed lugs 33 and 34. Each of the lugs 33 and 34 is located concentrically within the corresponding curved track portions 31 and 32.

The mop head 13 includes a transverse mop support plate 37 slightly shorter than the wringer plate 23, and to one face of which is attached, in any convenient manner, a sponge mop element 38. Fixed to each end of support plate 37 and projecting in the opposite direction from the sponge element 38 are a pair of parallel lever arms 39 and 40.

An elongated pivot pin 42 extends through corresponding openings in the opposed lever arms 39 and 40, projecting outwardly through the corresponding track slots 29 and 30, and outwardly through the elongated journal slots 21. The outer ends of the pivot pin 42 may be secured in any convenient manner, such as by having threaded, slotted end portions threadedly engaging nuts Thus, the mop head 13 may move longitudinally of the wringer bracket 12, and rotatably relative to both brackets 11 and 12, as well as transversely of the tracks 30 and 31 at the curved track portions 31 and 32.

Elongated slots 45 and 46 are formed through the respective lever arms 39 and 40 in diametrical alignment with the pivot pin 42, for slidably receiving the respective lugs 33 and 34. The closed end of each slot 45 and 46 adjacent the pivot pin 42 is spaced from the pivot pin 42 a distance less than the radius of each corresponding semicircular track portion 31 and 32.

In operating the combined sponge mop and wringer device 10, the mop head 13 is in its normal operative mopping position, with the sponge element 38 facing in a direction remote from the handle 18, as disclosed in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6. In the mopping position, the plunger 28 is retracted into the tubular handle 18 to retract the wringer bracket 12 within the handle bracket 11 until the wringer plate 23 is against, or closely adjacent to, the bight portion of the handle bracket 11. Also in the mopping position, the pivot pin 42 is at the remote end of the tracks 29 and 30, so that the lugs 33 and 34 maintain the lever arm slots 45 and 46 substantially longitudinally aligned with the tracks 29 and 30.

In order to move the mop head 13 to the squeezing or wringing position of FIG. 4, the plunger 28 is protracted relative to the tubular handle 18 to protract the wringer bracket 12 from the handle bracket 11. The protraction of the wringer bracket 12 causes the track slots 29 and 30 to move longitudinally outwardly along the pivot pin 42, and the lugs 33 and 34 move simultaneously in the same direction toward the closed ends of the slots and 46 in the lever arms 39 and 4t). When the lugs 33 and 34 reach the closed ends of the lever slots 45 and 416, the inner edges of the arcuate track portions 31 and 32 cam against the pivot pin 42, forcing the pivot pin 42 to follow the semi-circular path of the track portions 31 and 32, and simultaneously to move transversely in the elongated journal slots 21. As the pivot pin 42 follows the arcuate path of the track portions 31 and 32, the lever arms 39 and d0 pivot or rotate with respect to the wringer bracket 12 about the axes of the lugs 33 and 34 to an intermediate position, such as that disclosed in FIG. 3.

Continued protraction of the wringer bracket 12 causes the pivot pin 42 to complete its arcuate travel through the curved track portions 31 and 32 until the mop head 13 has rotated through 180. The pivot pin 42 is then again confined to the straight portions of the tracks 29 and 30, but on the proximal sides of the arcuate track portions 31 and 32.

Protraction of the plunger 28 is continued until the wringer plate 23 is forced against the sponge element 38, the face of which is now opposing the wringer plate 23 by virtue of its 180 rotation from its original mopping position, as shown in FIG. 4.

After the dirty water is expressed from the sponge element 38 of the wringer plate 23, the plunger 28 is retracted within the tubular handle 18. As the plunger 28 retracts, the wringer bracket 12, the pivot pin 42, and the lugs 33 and 34 travel their same paths in reverse, until the mop head 13 is restored to its original mopping position discloses in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 7 discloses a modification of the upper end of the handle member, including a tubular handle 18' and a telescoping plunger 28'. Projecting radially from the plunger 28' is a knob adapted to ride in the longitudinal slot 51 formed in the tubular handle 18. The slot 51 is provided with any number of circumferential notches, such as the three notches 52, 53 and 54. The spacing of the notches 52, '53 and 54 is such that when the knob 50 is lodged in the upper notch 52, the mop head 13 is in its mopping position. When the knob 50 is received in the notch 53, the mop head is locked in its intermediate position, disclosed in FIG. 3. When the knob 50 is received in the lower notch 54, the mop head 13 is locked in its squeezing position, disclosed in FIG. 4. When the mop head 13 is latched in its intermediate position disclosed in FIG. 3, the device 10 can function very well to clean upright or overhead surfaces, such as walls.

It will thus be seen that a self-contained combination sponge mop and wringer has been designed with a minimum number of elements, which co-operate together, when actuated by merely moving the plunger 28 relative to the tubular handle 18, to present the sponge mop element 38 in various operative mopping positions, and also to squeeze or wring the mop element 38. Furthermore, the

wringing action of the device 10 is carried out without un necessarily deforming the sponge element 38. The mop head 13 is rotated as a unit, to cause the face of the mop element 38 to be squeezed flush against a fiat wringer plate 23. Therefore, the sponge element 33 is not in any way folded or turned upon itself to express the water therefrom. Consequently, the life of the sponge element 38 will be prolonged.

What is claimed is:

"1. A combination mop and wringer comprising:

,(a) a handle bracket having a longitudinal axis, and

remote and proximal end portions,

(b) a mop head including a mop element,

(c) means pivotally mounting said mop head on said handle bracket remote end portion for rotary movement about a transverse axis,

((1) a wringer bracket having a transverse wringer member mounted on said handle bracket for longitudinal axial movement toward and away from said mop head,

(e) co-operative means on said wringer bracket and said mop head causing said mop head to rotate said mop element from a mopping position remote from said wringer member to a squeezing position opposing sand contacting said wringer member as said wringer bracket moves toward said mop head, and vice versa, and

(f) means for moving said wringer bracket relative to said handle bracket.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said co-operative means comprises cam means.

3. The invention according to claim 1 in which said rnop head comprises a lever arm, said pivotal mounting means comprising a in journaling said lever arm to said handle bracket, a longitudinal track in said wringer bracket receiving said pin for relative longitudinal movement, said co-operative means comprising a first element adapted to move with said wringer bracket and a second element on said lever arm cooperating with said first element radially of said pin to rotate said mop head about the axis of said pin as said wringer bracket moves toward and away from said mop head.

4. The invention according to claim 3 in which said first element comprises a transversely projecting lug, and said second element comprises an elongated slot diametrically aligned with said pin and receiving said lug for reciprocal movement.

5. The invention according to claim 4 in which said lug is fixed to said wringer bracket and said track comprises a circular portion whose center is coincident with the center of said lug.

6. The invention according to claim 5 further comprising an elongated journal slot in said handle bracket, receiving said pin for rotary movement and for movement transverse of said track.

"I. The invention according to claim 3 in which said handle bracket is U-shaped and said wringer bracket is U-shaped and received in said handle bracket for longitudinal movement, the bights of said U-shaped brackets forming the proximal end portions of said respective brackets, an elongated tubular handle projecting proximally from the bight of said 'U-shaped handle bracket, said wringer bracket moving means comprising an elongated plunger fixed to the bight of said U-shaped wringer bracket and telescopingly received in said tubular handle.

8. The invention according to claim 7 further comprising guide means on the corresponding arm portions of said U-shaped brackets to guide the relative longitudinal movements of said brackets.

9. The invention according to claim 7 further comprising a latch means on said plunger and said handle for holding said mop element in said mopping position, in said squeezing position, and in an intermediate position.

(References on following page) 5 6 References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 496,850 7/1950 Belgium.

2,418,802 4/1947 Bender. DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner 2,653,337 9/1953 Bathurst. 2,996,743 8/1961 Noble. 5 U.S. c1. X.R.

3,414,361 12/1968 Olson 15--98XR 15144,24 

